


Maniac in Love

by JacquiTries



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bartemius Crouch Jr Lives, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, F/M, Not Canon Compliant, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, One Shot, Reader-Insert, Triwizard Tournament
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:13:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24286420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JacquiTries/pseuds/JacquiTries
Summary: Your parents tasked you to team up with Barty Crouch Jr in manipulating the Triwizard Tournament as part of your induction as a Death Eater. Barty may be a cold, ruthless, manipulative maniac, but even he can’t stop himself from falling for you. As fate would have it, you fall for him too.
Relationships: Bartemius Crouch Jr./Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 44





	Maniac in Love

1.

You neither loved nor hated being inducted as a Death Eater. Though you have expressed interest in joining the Dark Lord’s cause, you’ve never felt the need to harass or torture those of filthy blood since they are simply not worth your time. However, since you are loyal to both your parents, you have agreed to help in however way you can for the Dark Lord to rise again. You just didn’t assume it would involve teaming up with none other than Bartemius Crouch Jr.

It was a few days before the start of your fourth year that you met this elusive man during a meeting with the most loyal of _His_ followers. You, along with the other Death Eaters’ children, lined up in front of them waiting to be chosen one to aid the cause.

While everyone had masks to protect their identities, only one had the audacity to not wear one at all. From the darting of his eyes to the flicking of his tongue, you knew Bartemius Crouch Jr was a madman. Suddenly, those same mad eyes bore into yours when he took notice of you. You found yourself standing straighter and returning his steely gaze. Then, after a few agonizing seconds, he finally spoke.

“I choose _her_.” For what exactly, you did not know. He then walked over to you as he kept his gaze on yours. He slowly raised his hand for you to hold and introduced himself.

“Call me Barty.”

2.

The task seemed easy to enough to carry out: make sure Potter wins the Triwizard Tournament. While Barty would do most of the heavy lifting, you would whisper sweet nothings to Potter and ensure he gets the necessary information and tools to succeed in each task. You would meet up with Barty every week at his _(aka Moody’s)_ office to make certain all plans would go accordingly. However, what started out as curt discussions slowly turned to something more. You just didn’t piece it together until after the Yule Ball.

You knew you got Potter wrapped around your finger when he got over his crush on Chang fairly quickly. You were especially pleased when you found out he rejected her invitation to attend the ball with her and wanted to go with you instead. There you were in your elegant emerald dress with all eyes on you as you danced with Potter. You were, however, surprised to find that one pair of those eyes belonged to a Bartemius Crouch Jr. You could tell he was more tense than usual and particularly so since his tongue flicks started to appear. Because of your frequent interactions with him, you knew this tic only appeared when he was deep in thought and/or anxious over something. You decided to ask Potter for refreshments as you subtly steered your way towards Barty’s side.

“Are you alright, Professor Moody? You seem to be not quite yourself.”

It took a beat for him to answer. “Oh? Here, I was merely wondering if we are both still clear on our goals. Should I be worried that you are becoming a little too… _intimate_ with the boy?”

“Nothing to worry at all. You of all people should know Potter is only a means to an end. Nothing more.”

You noticed the previously tense atmosphere immediately lift right after you said those words as his stance relaxed and his tongue flicks lessened. “Good.”

You exchanged no more words as Potter came for you with refreshments in his hand.

Gradually, meetings with Barty after this incident had escalated to lingering gazes, subtle touches, and flimsy excuses to discuss ideas longer. As of late, he would slowly open up about his past a few words at a time and, in turn, you would also speak to him about you and your family. Though you knew he was and always will be a madman who craved for the Dark Lord’s approval, you couldn’t help but fall for the man beneath it all – the man who seemed to feel the same way about you.

3.

Darkness. Darkness was all you remembered until you were brought out of the water by Potter during the second task. As soon as you reached the platform, Barty, who was disguised as Professor Moody at the time, was immediately by your side to give you a towel. When he was done inspecting you, he whispered in your ear.

“I hope there are no lasting effects from being underwater for 24 hours?”

You smiled at that. He was concerned when he didn’t need to be. “No, the only trauma I feel is knowing I have become Potter’s most prized treasure in a span of a few months.”

That earned a small chuckle from him. He focused on you for a few moments more before he looked over your shoulder and left abruptly. It was only then did you realize Potter running over to you to make sure you were okay. As Potter hugged you and kissed your forehead, you couldn’t help but wish that it was the other man's arms and lips caressing you instead.

You thought it bittersweet that the first time you held his hand was just a few hours later over his father’s body. You laid your head on his shoulder as you rubbed your thumb over the back of his palm until his tongue flicks subsided. When you felt that he was ready to talk, you only asked one question.

“What do you want us to do with the body?”

He closed his eyes and sighed. “Nothing. Leave him here for others to find and see him for what he’s worth.”

You squeezed his hand as an attempt to comfort him before the both of you left the forest still hand in hand.

4.

When Potter came back as a sobbing mess with Diggory’s body, you knew the Dark Lord has finally returned. You tried hard to hold back your delight knowing your efforts have paid off. There was chaos all around you that you didn’t even realize both Potter and Barty were nowhere to be seen. You rushed through the crowds into the castle to look for them. As you rounded a corner in one of the hallways, you coincidentally bumped into none other than Potter. He looked like he’s seen death and, well, that much was true.

“Are you alright?”

He hugged you tightly as he cried on your shoulder. “It was a lie! All of it! Professor Moody was locked in a cage from the start of the year while Barty Crouch impersonated him and orchestrated the whole tournament. He’s back! Voldemort is back because of me.”

You tensed. Potter knows about Barty. If he knows about him, then Dumbledore and the other professors know about him too. You rubbed your hand over Potter’s back before you prodded him about Barty. “And what exactly will happen to Barty Crouch Jr?”

“They will have to wait for Cornelius Fudge for a verdict but he’s coming in as soon as he could. If it was done my way, I would kill him for taking part in Cedric’s death! Oh, my God. Cedric is dead. He is dead. He is dead because of me!”

You tried to calm Potter as quickly as you could. When his sobs finally turned to just whimpers, you subtly guided him to the Gryffindor Common Room where Granger and Weasley were. Though Potter wanted you to stay the night, you convinced him that the best people to comfort him at this time were his two best friends. You left without saying another word. When you were finally alone outside the Gryffindor Tower, you exhaled a breath you didn’t know you were holding. You now only had thing plaguing your mind – to break Barty free no matter the cost.

5.

You steeled yourself for what was to come and all the possible repercussions of your future actions but Barty’s freedom outweighed all of them. You ran as quickly as you could to his office to pick up his belongings and went straight to the Astronomy Tower, the most likely place he would be detained. You breathed a sigh in relief to find him there. You could see his look of surprise and confusion as he stared at you from where he sat.

“Barty, I suggest you take cover. Bombarda!”

Right after the explosion, you didn’t have time to recover as callous hands found your face. Even with all the smoke and rubble around you, you found yourself lost in his eyes. It took a moment for him to find his voice.

“You came for me.”

You put your hands over his as it rested on your face. “I’d like to think you would do the same for me.”

He answered without any hesitation. “I would. I–”

He couldn’t finish what he wanted to say as you heard shouts nearing you by the second.

“We can continue this conversation once we’re out of Hogwarts. Right now, we need to leave before they find us.”

You took your broom and flew away as soon as Barty hopped on behind you. You sailed across the night sky comforted by his presence and his arms wrapped around you. After a few hours of flying, you finally reached Malfoy Manor where the Dark Lord was staying.  
  
When you reached for the door, Barty suddenly grabbed your hand and pulled you closer to him so you were face to face.

“Before we go in, I just wanted to finish what I had to say before I was interrupted.”

You squeezed his hand to signal for him to go on. He took a breath before he began to speak again.

“Ever since I was a child, all I wanted was approval from my father and when I realized I will never live up to his expectation, I sought for the Dark Lord’s approval instead. That was what I thought my purpose was for the better part of my life. I never had any intention of falling in love…” He paused and searched for something in your eyes. When he found it, he continued, “That was… until I met you. I have fallen for you so madly and deeply that I hope to stay by your side until you grow weary of me; and even then would I still love and protect you from a distance. So, I ask of you, before we finally meet with the Dark Lord, to allow me to love you and be with you as much as I could until you tire of me, please?”

Bartemius Crouch Jr was a maniac who had an undying thirst of approval and power. However, underneath it all was a man who was wholeheartedly in love with you as you were with him. You raised your hand to his face to pull him even closer. “I will never tire of you, you madman. Now, come and kiss me like you mean it.”

You both smiled into the kiss. When you were both out of breath, you both walked into the Malfoy Manor hand in hand to finally meet the Dark Lord.

**Author's Note:**

> I love Barty Crouch Jr so much because of David Tennant and I really do think he was very under-utilized in Harry Potter. He could have been as great of a villain as Bellatrix! :( 
> 
> Anyway, I poured my love of his character in this work. It's quite short but please enjoy!
> 
> \- Jacqui


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